Access is carried out here within a network of automation devices, wherein each automation device is a communication user within the network and wherein a peer-to-peer connection exists at least at times between two automation devices in each case. In a network which enables peer-to-peer communication, all communication users are given a facility for equality of access to the network. Each communication user can offer information and services to other communication users and, for its part, use information and services offered by other communication users. In addition, the facility is also offered for searching for and pinpointing the location of information and services on other communication users and then accessing these functions or services.
In the Internet, portals are known. A portal offers special access to information and services in that it is possible to request the communication users and, in relation to the communication user, the memory location at which the information or service is filed, and a peer-to-peer connection can be established with said communication user by means of a simple action. The information can be fetched or the service utilized via such a peer-to-peer connection.
From the earlier (§3(2)(2) Patent Act and §54(3) European Patent Convention) European patent application with the filing No. 001123168.5 a method for dynamically accessing automation resources is known, wherein in a distributed automation system with a number of automation components a first automation component, which is searching for an automation resource, addresses an inquiry to the automation system and receives from all accessible automation components a response to this inquiry regarding suitable available automation resources and then selects the particular automation component with the appropriate automation resource and uses the automation resource.